Most parents of young adults are mystified with the problem of finding urine spillage on the floor near and around the toilet. The spillage of urine on the floor by the young adult (or mentally challenged or elderly adults) might possibly be explained from lack of concentration or the lack of skill in aiming when urinating into the toilet. Another instance of urine spillage may be at the time the young adult is coming of age when first learning how to use the toilet. It would be desirable to have a collection device to help prevent urine spillage by the young adults on the bathroom floor. The spillage of urine creates a potential hygienic hazard from the possible means for transferring disease. Also, the spillage of urine results in an unpleasant and lingering odor. Getting to the areas of spilled urine to clean up is especially difficult when reaching behind the toilet seat and/or behind the toilet itself. It is therefore advantageous to have a collection device or apparatus to prevent unwanted splashing of urine around the toilet bowl. Parents would like to provide an atmosphere in the bathroom that has a pleasing odor, as well as being hygienic hazard free.
In reviewing the prior inventions, U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,480 issued to Michal, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,419 issued to Wilson, Sr. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,611 issued to O'Day all disclose the use of a device for attachment to a toilet bowl. However, the lack of the height of the walls and the permanent or complex implementation of the devices does not allow for the easy removal over normal usage. The aspect of using brackets, clips or other means for mounting the collection device to the toilet bowl presents the difficult and complex problem of have to remove the device.
In further view of the prior invention, U.S. DES. Pat. No. 394,900 (hereafter '900) issued to Kang, U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,919 (hereafter '919) issued to Otto et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,478 (hereafter '478) issued to Butcher, all disclose devices easily removable from the toilet over normal use as well as providing high rear wall and side wall (except for Butcher) spillage protection. However, the lack of a front wall in '900 and '919 does not prevent urine spillage on the front of the toilet. Also, '478 has a very minimal target or aiming surface area creating the possibility of urine spillage over the front of the toilet. Further the use of permanent fasteners in '900 make quick and easy removal over normal usage difficult. It should also be noted in '919 that toilet bowls come in different sizes, wherein the usage of brackets or clips with an inflexible collection device will mean the device can only fit on one bowl size.
Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,410 issued to Webster is disclosed a toilet backsplash and over spray shield that is permanently installed on the toilet. However, since there is a lack of sidewalls and the minimal height of the rear wall urine can still splash on the front of the toilet, thus providing minimal protection from the splashing of urine. Furthermore, the permanency of the device to the toilet does not allow for the easy removal over normal usage.
It should be noted that urinals used in public bathrooms have specific structures, designs and usage entirely different from toilet bowls. For instance, toilet bowls are used in a residential setting for the purpose of allowing maximum usage of the collection of human waste for both men and woman. In contrast, urinals used in pubic bathrooms (or for any other possible setting) are strictly used by males and are directed for the purpose of meeting the needs of males, not females. Since urinals are used specifically for men and not woman, urinals provide a limited use in a residential setting. Furthermore, features found in urinals are meant to address the specific needs of urinals and not for toilet bowls.
Therefore, it can be noted that there exists a continuing need to have a novel collection device for a toilet which can be used by young adults (or mentally challenged and elderly adults) to urinate into a toilet. To this effect, the present invention is able to complete this need.